Letters to the Editor

Writing them is patriotic and rewarding. Try not to rant.

I consider it a good rule
for letter-writing to leave unmentioned
what the recipient already knows,
and instead tell him
something new.
—Sigmund Freud

Alice in Wonderland is chock full of observations and insights, many particularly pertinent to our times. (Red Queen: “Sentence first—verdict afterwards” and her pithier: “Off with their heads!”) Perhaps my favorite bit is Alice’s rumination that “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.”

Regarding letters to the editor, I, like Alice, did not heed the advice that I am offering here—through the first, second, sometimes seventh drafts, that is. But eventually, after reprising some of my Navy veteran father’s most creative terminology until I’d exhausted the list, scared off the cats, and finally hit the delete button one last time, I emerged with missives calm enough to actually merit publication, at least in our modestly sized town. Indeed, I was surprised to discover at least a half a dozen not-crazy letters in our paper’s archives, plus a few outside of it as well.

Friends, letters to the editor still matter; in fact, I posit that they matter more than ever. They don’t really take that much time, and there are tricks and templates that can help you both ease the effort and magnify your voice. But among the hailstorm of constant hollering from social media and podcasts (have you ever noticed that the vocal patterns of MSNBC’s Chris Hayes are uncannily similar to those of Fox’s deposed Tucker Carlson?) a letter in a local paper stands out in the storm because you—a voting citizen of your community—took the time and trouble to write and send it.

Websites offer a pretty universal short list of mandatories: Keep it short (some say under 200 words, none I found said more than 300); state your topic and thesis right away, in the first sentence if possible; use factual evidence and specificity in making your case; keep it narrowly focused to one topic; add a personal story if you can; sign it and include contact info; and follow any rules or directives the publication has about formatting and sending. Also universal, regarding not only this issue’s topic but every issue of Well Worded: review, proofread, review, and proofread again. And then do it again, just for giggles.

Regarding that draconian word count limit (and it really is; consider that at this point in this article, we’re 100 words over the maximum count), if you really can’t keep to 200–300 or so words, especially if you have a compelling personal story to tell, consider writing a longer Op-ed piece, as proposed in this document.

Why write a letter? Reasons probably obvious to most of us include the desire to persuade voters and lawmakers regarding an upcoming or recent action, law, or project; an expression of anger; or a goal of educating the public about a cause or organization.

But other reasons exist that I hadn’t considered: to keep a topic in the public’s eye so that it doesn’t disappear; to recognize people or organizations who’ve succeeded at something (in other words, a positive letter—who’d a thunk?); or to propose new ideas about or for your community.

Another reason new to me, from the above-cited document: your letter, even if it isn’t selected for publication, can help an overworked editor decide what letters do make it to print. If an abundance of letters land on the same topic you’re writing about, the editor probably will use one of them. If you hadn’t written, and maybe one or two of others also hadn’t written, the topic might have simply sunk to the bottom of the mail pile.

Just think of it: you and you alone can actually help determine what gets covered in your newspaper. (At least in the letters section.)

The document cited above is among many helpful pages at Community Toolbox, a thorough and well-organized resource for a wide range of topics out of the University of Kansas. This site also suggests that you explain why your topic is important; note any title or expertise you have to strengthen your legitimacy; offer suggestions on how to improve whatever you’re writing about; and, importantly, get your letter in as soon as you can.

This latter point is probably key in today’s fast-streaming news cycle. With email, you can send off the letter before your morning coffee has cooled.

Another tip: ensure your letter’s relevance by referencing a local event or a recent article in the publication you’re writing to. In fact, according to one page on the ACLU site, this isn’t optional: some papers require references to their own content.

Again, regarding this and other matters, be sure to seek and follow any directions from the paper about how and what to send. Sometimes that means using a form rather than sending an email; if you send an email, it’s best to include your letter in the text rather than as an attachment. You can also look at the periodical’s published letters to suss out exactly how to cite content you are referencing as well as other style matters. (Oxford comma, as used in every list of three, four, or more items in anything I have an editorial fingerprint on? Or the more standard AP comma found in most newspapers, which might list fruits as peaches, apples and bananas? Allowed use of sentence fragments like these? Use of Ms., Miss, or no titles?) Don’t sweat over style; the editor will fix. It’s just a nice thing to try to do.

The above site offers a few more good reasons for writing, if you’re still on the fence: elected officials regularly scan the letters page; you can bring up info that the news media might have missed or understated; and your letter can help create an impression of support or opposition to an issue.

Another gem of advice from this site that I can personally attest to: send letters to weekly community papers in your region, too. I successfully placed two Opinion pieces in Kansas non-daily newspapers during a concerted round of activism a year or so back. You’re doing a twofer here: not only are you helping your cause; you’re also supporting local journalism.

One of this newsletter’s readers is officially a pro in this area; she’s placed Op-ed pieces in major papers all over the country, and you should read her. Whether or not you agree with her, her writing (and her musical laughter) always entertains. However, Mary notes: “You might want to tell your readers that getting such letters published is much more difficult than it was even five years ago. Vulgarity and extreme views of the left as well as the right tend to not resonate with most editors.” Also, she’s not in the business of offering advice or feedback, so read her, enjoy, and move along.

You can find a simple and clear list of start-to-finish steps for composing your letter at this page within a writing-guidelines section of a website offering career guidance. There are lists on the other sites noted here as well, but I find this one easy to follow and pretty comprehensive.

Yet another page on the KU site suggests holding a letter-writing party, which can both lighten your load and magnify your voice. Once you’ve picked your topic, you ask your pals to write two sets of letters: a Group 1 letter addressing the topic and a Group 2 letter responding to it, leaving a few details to fill in later. You assign a point person to manage the project but get permission from a bunch of folks to use their names, you send off the first batch of letters, and then you send the second batch in response to any that get published.

This project can help keep the topic in the public eye over a long period of time and can show community support for its thesis. It minimizes exertion by one individual while maximizing output. Perhaps best of all, it boosts morale for those who perhaps have been tilting at windmills for a long time.

I love most the advice from this site focused on educating young children. Not so much because its information is better as because it is creative, compelling, and specifically aimed at helping tomorrow’s leaders and citizens, who need all the tools they can get. Its guidelines, in brief: Own your opinion; Keep it short; Start strong; Use your own words; Speak your truth; Reinforce with facts; Ask for action.

Wise words for most things in life, I’d wager.

---

Lagniappe: Another reader of this publication, Tom Jacobson, responded to the Travel Journals column a few weeks ago with this idea: “I create albums on my phone of the best photos, and that’s what I use to tell the story of the trip.  Super convenient! I even put the most important photos at the beginning of each album so they’re easier to find. I have two funny photos of Ramone that head up my Greece and Czech albums, and an incredible one of a suitcase from the Jewish Museum in Prague.” Tom’s method of documenting his travels doesn’t involve words, but hey. Pictures are worth a thousand of them, I’m told.